Door switch assembly



Aug. 31, 1965 w. H. WEST 3,204,069

DOOR SWITCH ASSEMBLY Filed D66. 5, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet .l

INVENTOR.

21425017 hf ll esf ATTORNEY 1965 w. H. WEST 3,204,069

DOOR SWITCH ASSEMBLY Filed Dec. 3, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 II I ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,2tl idlw DUDE SWETEI'I ASSEMBLY Wilson H. West, Iioyal Gait, Mich, assigner to General Motors Eorporstion, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 3, 1962, Ser. No. 241,654 12 Claims. (Cl. 200-159) This invention relates generally to electrical switches and more particularly to a grounding switch of the type mountable in a grounded door jamb member of a vehicle body to contact interior lighting on accessory operating electrical circuits thus facilitating passenger access in accordance with opening and closing movement of a vehicle body door.

The invention contemplates an improved switch of the type indicated which is of relatively simple inexpensive design having a minimum number of easily manufactured and assembled components; which may be easily installed and removed for in-servicc inspection and replacement; in which contact mounting housing and plunger elements may be inexpensively precision molded of suitable insulating materials preventing accidental grounding of the lighting circuit across the switch, and which insures proper opening and closing of the electrical circuit connectable therethrough in accordance with movement of the vehicle door.

The several illustrative embodiments of the invention hereinafter shown and described feature a cylindrical housing precision molded of a suitable insulating plastic material. An annular mounting flange adjacent one end of the housing has mounting means associated therewith insertable through an opening in a door jamb supporting member and engageable therewith to mount the housing flange in abutment therewith. The housing has two diametrically opposed inner flanges closely spaced from the housing end remote from its mounting flange. A precision molded plunger member of suitable insulating material has a large diameter end portion reciprocably supported in the mounting flange end of the housing and normally projects outwardly therefrom. The opposite end of the plunger member is of reduced dimension and slidably projects beyond the inner flanges of the housing. A plunger return spring embraces an intermediate portion of the plunger within the housing bore and is compressively interposed between the inner housing flanges and a spring seating shoulder defined by the large diameter end portion of the plunger. The plunger spring thus normally acts to bias the plunger outwardly of the door jamb mounted end of the switch housing.

Two contact spring members are mounted on opposite sides of the housing within the housing bore outwardly of the inner flanges. Gne of these contacts may be connectable through a courtesy lighting circuit to a power terminal of the vehicle electrical supply or to another access facilitating accessory circuit. The other contact member has a connector portion mounted in a groove extending longitudinally and opening outwardly of the housing. The distal end of this connector portion is suitably formed to resiliently engage the switch mounting door jamb member. The end of the plunger member projecting outwardly of the inner housing flanges carries a contact member which is slidably and resiliently engageable with the spaced housing mounted contact members to complete the electrical grounding circuit therethrough when the plunger is actuated by the spring to an extreme position projecting outwardly of the mounting flange end of the housing upon opening of the vehicle door. In one illustrative embodiment, the contact carrying end of the plunger is provided with abutment means engageable with the adjacent end of the housing to limit spring bias movemerit of the plunger to its circuit completing extreme position. In another illustrative embodiment, the contact member carried by the plunger is engageable with the spring seating inner housing flange to provide similar plunger limiting abutment means.

The foregoing and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the several illustrative embodiments having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a door jamb mountable switch assembly illustrative of the invention and shows the several elements thereof in their dooropened, circuit completing positions;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded assembly view showing the several elements of the switch assembly of FIGURE 1 in perspective elevation;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse elevational view of the contact supporting end of the switch assembly of FIGURE 1 with portions of the mounting flange of the switch housing broken away;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the switch assembly of FIGURE 1 taken normal thereto substantially in the plane of the line and in the direction of the arrows indicated at 4-4 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially in the plane of the line and in the direction of the arrows indicated at 5-5 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 is a similar view sectioned in the direction of the arrows and substantially in the plane of the line indicated at an of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view similar to a portion of FIGURE 1 and shows a slightly modified mounting arrangement for the switch housing;

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the separate switch housing mounting ring shown in FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view similar to a portion of FIGURE 1 and shows a modified lunger and switch contact supporting structure; and

FIGURE 10 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 showing the modified switch assembly of FIGURE 9 in end elevation.

Referring more particularly to FIGURES 16, a vehicle door operable grounding switch illustrative of the invention is indicated generally by the reference numeral 10. This switch assembly comprises a cylindrical housing 12 precision molded of a suitable plastic insulating material. An annular mounting flange 14 formed adjacent one end of the housing 12 has a plurality of angularly spaced integral lugs or t-angs 16 extending longitudinally therefrom in spaced relation to the outer cylindrical surface of the housing. These tangs are oppositely tapered and insertable to mount the housing in an opening 18 in a vehicle body door jamb member indicated in phantom lines at Zil. The oppositely tapered outer surfaces of these tangs serve first to deflect the tangs inwardly upon initial insertion into the door jamb opening 13 and then resiliently secure the housing flange in substantial abutment with the door jamb member 2t).

As best seen in FIGURE 1, the switch housing 12 has a bore 22 extending longitudinally therethrough. This bore is intersected by two diametrically opposed internal flanges 24 which are closely spaced from the end of the housing distal from its mounting flange. Outwardly of the internal flanges, the housing has a slot 26 opening to the end thereof and is recessed at 2'7 outwardly of the adjacent end of the bore 22 to provide a relatively thin housing wall portion 23 therebetween. The diametrical- 1y opposite side of the switch housing has an outwardly facing groove 30 extending longitudinally between the mounting flange 14 and the opposite end of the housing. The groove 3% is of T-cross section having a narrow i outwardly opening portion 34) communicating with a broader inner portion The inner portion of the groove 30 is further relieved at 32 at the end of the housing adjacent the inner flanges This further recessing of the groove end at 32 cooperates with recessing at 33 from the inner bore 22 to define a thin wall portion 34 therebetween.

A U-shaped spring contact member 36 is slidably mounted on the housing end wall portion 25% having two outwardly bowed legs 33 and 4t resiliently engaging the opposing surface thereof. The slot mounted leg 4d of this contact member is barbed at 42 to bitingly engage the housing wall portion 28 and a connector 44 which is also mounted within the slot 26. The connector 44 is suitably connected at 46 to the adjacent end of a wire 48 connectable through an interior lighting or access facilitating accessory circuit to a power terminal of the vehicle power supply. While the illustrative embodi- Inent shows only one housing mounted contact member 36, a number of such slot-mounted contact members may be provided for connection to several interior lighting and access facilitating accessory circuits.

A ground contact member St) is mounted on the housing end wall portion 34 opposite the contact member as. This contact member has an end portion 52 having outwardly bowed leg portions 5 and 5s connected by a bight. The end portion 52 is thus similar in configuration to the contact member 36. In assembly, the bowed contact leg portions resiliently engage the inner and outer surfaces of the housing wall portion 34. A tang 53 on the outer leg portion 56 bitingly engages the wall portion to secure the contact end portion in place. The opposite end of the member is provided with two parallel outwardly extending grounding barbs 60. These grounding barbs are engageable in mounting the switch assembly to effect grounding contact with the periphery of the mounting opening in the grounded vehicle door jamb member. The end portions of the contact member 59 are connected by an intermediate portion 62. This intermediate portion is slidably mounted in assembly within the lateral inner portions of the longitudinally extending groove 30.

A door operated plunger 64 is reciprocably mounted within the switch housing 12 and extends axially therethrough. The plunger has a large diameter end portion 66 reciprocably supported within the end of the housing bore 22 adjacent the mounting flange 14. This plunger end portion normally projects outwardly of the flanged end of the switch housing and is engageable with the edge of the vehicle door for circuit opening actuation into the switch housing upon movement of the door toward its closed position. A flexible sealing diaphragm 65 embraces a groove 66 in the door engaging end of the plunger and outwardly embraces the mounting flange M of the housing. The flange engaging outer periphery of the diaphragm is clamped between the housing flange and the door jamb member in the mounting of the switch. This diaphragm protects the several switch elements from dust and moisture which would otherwise interfere with proper switch operation and reduce the operational life of the switch. The opposite end 68 of the plunger is of reduced diameter and cooperates with the large diameter end to define a spring seating shoulder 76 extending radially therebetween. The reduced diameter end portion of the plunger is split longitudinally as indicated at '72 to provide two laterally deflectable leg portions 68 and 68". The opposite sides of these plunger leg portions are relieved at 74 and 76 to define flat guide surfaces intersected by the longitudinal slot 68. These plunger guide surfaces are reciprocably supported between the internal flanges 24 of the switch housing.

The slotted and reduced diameter end portion of the plunger projecting beyond the internal housing flanges has a circumferential groove '73 mounting a contact ring 80. This contact ring is slidably cngageable with the contact legs 38 and 40 of the spaced housing mounted contact spring member 36 and 52, respectively. Such contact engagement completes the switch associated interior lighting and/or access facilitating accessory circuits of the vehicle and occurs upon opening of the vehicle door. Opening movement of the door permits the plunger 64 to be actuated by a spring 32 to its extreme contact engaging position shown in FIGURE 1 wherein the door engageable plunger portion 66 projects outwardly of the flange mounted end of the switch housing. The spring 8?. embraces the reduced plunger portion 68 and is compressively interposed between the internal housing flanges and the spring seating shoulder 7% on the plunger. Barbs 84- and 84" formed integrally of and extending radially outwardly of the projecting ends of the plunger leg portions 68 and 63", respectively, are engageable with the adjacent end 12 of the switch housing to limit spring biased movement of the plunger to its contact engaging, door opened position. Lateral deflection of the plunger leg portions permits insertion of these plunger limiting barbs through the spring 82 and the bore of the housing in assembly.

Upon closing of the vehicle door hinged to the switch mounting door jamb member, the adjacent door edge engages the end 66 of the plunger portion as and depresses the plunger within the switch housing against the biasing action of the spring 82. Such plunger movement carries the contact ring out of engagement with the spring contact members 36 and 52 and thus breaks or deenergizes the associated electrical circuit of the vehicle.

In the slightly modified form of the invention shown in FIGURES 7 and 8, a separate switch mounting ring 9) is slidably mounted and secured on th switch housing 12 in abutment with the mounting flange 14. This mounting ring is used in place of the integral tangs 1d of the previous embodiment to mount the switch assembly within the opening of the door jamb. With this exception, the several elements of this switch assembly are substantially the same as those of the previous embodiment and are therefore identified by like reference numerals and need not be described in detail.

The switch mounting ring 955 is of stamped configuration and has a plurality of angularly and radially spaced inner and outer tangs 92 and 94- interconnected by an annular bight portion 96. The several inner tangs 92 extend longitudinally and radially inwardly from the bight portion of the ring. In assembly on the cylindrical switch housing, these inner tangs resiliently engage the outer cylindrical surface of the housing to maintain the annular bight portion of the ring in abutment with the flange 14 of the switch housing. The outer tangs 94 of the ring 9% provide oppositely inclined ramp surfaces adapted to wedgeably deflect such tangs during initial insertion through the door jamb opening and to subsequently resiliently bias the switch housing axially to eifect seal clamping abutment between the mounting flange of the housing and the door jamb member.

In the form of the invention shown in FIGURES 9 and 10, the switch housing, the housing mounting spring contact members and the plunger biasing spring are substantially the same as those of the previous embodiments and are identified by like reference numerals. However, as best seen in FIGURE 10, the outer portion 3% of the ground contact mounting groove 3ft is divergent outwardly to slidably receive the grounding barbs 645 of the ground contact member 52'. which are outwardly inclined in this embodiment. Such inclined grounding barbs resiliently engage the periphery of the opening in the mounting door jamb member and thus insure proper grounding contact therebetween.

In this form of the invention, the plunger and the plunger carried contact member differ from those previously described and are generally identified by adding to the reference numerals identifying corresponding plunger and contact portions of the previous embodimerit. As best seen in FIGURE 10, the smaller end 166 of the plunger 164 is substantially square in cross section and slidably supported and guided by the internal spring seating flange 24 of the switch housing 12. The plunger end portion projecting beyond the housing flange has a shallow groove or recess 178 opening to the outer surface thereof. This groove mounts a plunger carried contact member 180. This contact member has an annular central portion mounted within the groove 178 and two outwardly bowed contact leaf spring portions 1&5 and 138 depending therefrom. These depending contact portions are bent over and radially spaced from their central plunger mounting portion. The reverse bend bight portions 184 and 184 defined by the contact member 180 are preferably located opposite the end of the plunger as shown and thus act as barbs engageable with the internal housing flange to limit spring biased movement of the plunger 164 upon opening of the door jamb mounted door. As in the previous embodiment, such spring biased plunger movement to its contact limited position resiliently and slidably engages the several contact members to provide a circuit completing grounding connection through the switch. Door closing depression of the plunger within the housing carries the plunger carried contact member 180 out of engagement with the contact members 36 and 52 and thus opens the switch to thereby deenergize the associated electrical circuit.

From the foregoing description of the several illustrative embodiments, it will be seen that the invention provides a switch of relatively simple inexpensive design capable of accomplishing the several contemplated ob jects and advantages. It will be further apparent that various minor modifications might be made in and from the described structures without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A switch assembly comprising a cylindrical switch housing having a bore extending thcrcthrough and defining internal spring seat means intersecting said bore and closely spaced from one end thereof, a plunger having opposite end portions reciprocably supported within said housing bore and spring seat means and projecting longitudinally therefrom, spring means compressively interposed between said seat means and said plunger and resiliently acting to bias the plunger longitudinally of said spring seat means and outwardly of the other end of said housing bore, angularly spaced contact means mounted within and extending longitudinally of said one end of the housing bore outwardly of said spring seat means, contact means mounted on the end portion of said plunger projecting outwardly of the spring seat means and engageable with the spaced-housingmounted contact means within said bore to complete an electrical circuit therethrough, and abutment means carried by the contact mounting end of the plunger and engageable with the adjacent end of the housing to limit spring biased contact engaging movement of the plunger outwardly of said housing.

2. A switch assembly comprising a switch housing having a bore therethrough and defining internal flange means intermediate the ends thereof, a plunger reciprocable relative to said housing bore and internal flange means projecting longitudinally therefrom, resilient means cornpressively interposed between one side of said internal flange means and said plunger and acting to bias the plunger longitudinally in one direction away from said internal flange means and outwardly of the housing bore, spaced contact means mounted within said housing bore on the side of said internal flange means opposite said resilient means, and contact means mounted on the end portion of the plunger embraced by the contact mounting end of the housing bore and slidably engageable with the spacedhousing-mounted contact means to complete an electrical circuit therethrough, and said plunger-mounted contact means being engageable with said internal flange means to limit contact engaging movement of said plunger by the resilient means in said one direction relative to said housing.

3. A switch assembly comprising a switch housing having a bore therethrough and diametrically opposed internal flanges closely spaced from one end thereof, a plunger reciprocably supported adjacent one end thereof within the end of the housing bore distal from the internal flanges, the other end of the plunger being reciprocably supported by and projecting beyond the internal flanges, resilient means embracing the plunger and compressively interposed between the internal flanges and the bore supported one end of the plunger to bias the plunger away from said flanges and outwardly of the housing in one direction, spaced contact spring means. mounted within and extending longitudinally of said one end of the housing bore on the side of said internal flanges opposite said resilient means, and contact spring means mounted on the adjacent other end of said plunger and slidably and resiliently engageable with the spaced-housing-mounted contact spring means to complete an electrical circuit therethrough upon movement of said plunger in said one direction by said resilient means to an extreme position projecting outwardly of said housing, and said plungermounted contact spring means being engageable with the side of said flange means opposite said resilient means to limit movement of the plunger by said resilient means in said one direction to said extreme circuit. completing position projecting outwardly of the housing.

4. In a switch assembly, a cylindrical switch housing having a bore extending longitudinally therethrough and defining internal flange means closely spaced from one end thereof, a plunger reciprocably supported within and projecting at one end from the end of the housing bore distal from said internal flange means, the other end of the plunger being supported by and projecting beyond the flange means, resilient means embracing the plunger and compressively interposed between one side of the flange means and said one end of the plunger and acting to bias the plunger away from the flange means and outwardly of the distal end of the housing bore, spaced spring contact means mounted within said one end of the housing bore and longitudinally outwardly of the flange means, contact means mounted on the end of the plunger projecting beyond the flange means, said plunger-mounted contact means being slidably and resiliently engageable with the spaced-housing-mounted contact means to complete an electrical circuit therethrough upon movement of the plunger by the resilient means to an extreme position projecting outwardly of the distal end of the housing, and abutment means carried by the contact mounting end of the plunger and the adjacent end of the housing and engageable to limit movement of the plunger by the resilient means to said extreme circuit completing position.

5. In a switch assembly as set forth in claim 4, said housing having an outer annular flage thereon and being insertable into an opening in a supporting member, and means carried by said housing for securing the housing flange in mating abutment with the supporting member adjacent the opening therein.

6. In a switch assembly as set forth in claim 4-, said housing having an annular mounting flange thereon adjacent its distal end, and angularly spaced resilient tang means integral with and projecting from said mounting flange, said tang means being insertable through and resiliently engageable with an opening in a supporting member to secure the housing thereto.

7. In a switch assembly as set forth in claim 5, said housing carried securing means including a plurality of resilient tangs spaced angularly of said flange, said tangs being insertable through the opening in. the supporting member and resiliently engageable therewith to secure the housing flange in abutment with the supporting member,

d and one of said housing-mounted contact means having a contact portion extending longitudinally of the switch housing and maintainable by said housing flange in circuit completing contact with the switch supporting member.

8. In a switch assembly as set forth in claim 5, said housing carried securing means including an annular mem ber embracing said housing and having an annular bight portion engaging said flange, a plurality of angularly spaced inner lugs extending longitudinally from the inner periphery of the bight'portion and resiliently engaging the outer cylindrical surface of the housing, and a plurality of angularly spaced outer lugs extending from the outer periphery of the bight portion and adapted to resiliently engage the periphery of the opening in the supporting memher.

9. In a switch assembly as set forth in claim 4-, the contact mounting end of said plunger being longitudinally split to define two laterally spaced plunger portions, and said abutment means comprising two barbs formed integrally of and extending laterally and oppositely from the two longitudinally depending free ends of said spaced plunger portions, said plunger portions being deflectable inwardly in assembly for insertion of the abutment barbs past the internal spring seating flange means, and said barbs being engageable with the adjacent end of the housing to limit movement of the plunger by the resilient means to its extreme circuit completing position.

10. In a switch assembly as set forth in claim 4, said plunger having a peripheral groove formed therein adjacent the housing flange supported end thereof, said plunger mounted contact spring means comprising a member having a mounting portion mounted Within said groove and secured thereby to the flange-adjacent end of the plunger, said contact spring member having two angularly spaced leaf spring contact portions depending outwardly of its plunger mounted portion and extending longiudinal- 1y of the plunger in spaced relation thereto, and said abutment means including said depending contact portions, the housing adjacent ends of said contact portions being engageable with the internal flange means of said housing to limit movement of the plunger by the resilient means to its extreme circuit completing position.

Till. In a switch assembly as set forth in claim 5, a flexible sealing member having an outer periphery adapted to be sealingly interposed and secured between the outer mounting flange of said housing and the housing supporting member, and said sealing member having an inner periphery sealing embracing the outwardly projecting end of the plunger.

12. A switch assembly comprising a housing having a bore therethrough and defining internal flange means intermediate the ends thereof, a plunger reciprocable relative to said housing bore and internal flange means, resilient means compressively interposed between one side of said internal flange means and said plunger and acting to bias the plunger longitudinally of said bore in one direction away from said flange means, spaced contact means mounted within said housing bore on the side of said internal flange means opposite said resilient means, and contact means mounted on said plunger and engageable with the spaced-housing-mounted contact means to complete an electrical circuit therethrough, and abutment means carried by the contact mounting end of said plunger and engageable with the end of said housing opposite said resilient means to limit contact engaging movement of said plunger by said resilient means in said one direction.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,231,598 2/41 Shroyer 200-168 2,629,791 2/53 LeTourneau 200-168 2,668,893 2/54 Vaughan 200159 2,779,833 1/57 Farison 200-l59 2,93 8,985 5/60 Brantingson 200l59 BERNARD A. GILI-IEANY, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT K. SCHAEFER, Examiner. 

1. A SWITCH ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL SWITCH HOUSING HAVING A BORE EXTENDING THERETHROUGH AND DEFINING INTERNAL SPRING SEAT MEANS INTERSECTING SAID BORE AND CLOSELY SPACED FROM ONE END THEREOF, A PLUNGER HAVING OPPOSITE END PORTIONS RECIPROCABLY SUPPORTED WITHIN SAID HOUSING BORE AND SPRING SEAT MEANS AND PROJECTING LONGITUDINALLY THEREFROM, SPRING MEANS COMPRESSIVELY INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID SEAT MEANS AND SAID PLUNGER AND RESILIENTLY ACTING TO BIAS THE PLUNGER LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID SPRING SEAT MEANS AND OUTWARDLY OF THE OTHER END OF SAID HOUSING BORE, ANGULARLY SPACED CONTACT MEANS MOUNTED WITHIN AND EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID ONE END OF THE HOUSING BORE OUTWARDLY OF SAID SPRING SEAT MEANS, CONTACT MEANS MOUNTED ON THE END PORTION OF SAID PLUNGER PROJECTING OUTWARDLY OF THE SPRING SEAT MEANS AND ENGAGEABLE WITH THE SPACED-HOUSING MOUNTED CONTACT MEANS WITHIN SAID BORE TO COMPLETE AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT THERETHROUGH, AND ABUTMENT MEANS CARRIED BY THE CONTACT MOUNTING END OF THE PLUNGER AND ENGAGEABLE WITH THE ADJACENT END OF THE HOUSING TO LIMIT SPRING BIASED CONTACT ENGAGING MOVEMENT OF THE PLUNGER OUTWARDLY OF SAID HOUSING. 